Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for new innovative growth strategies is being emphasized in line with changes in the global economic and industrial environment, such as the global economic downturn and reorganization of supply chains. In addition, countries are establishing relevant policies to implement global agreements such as carbon neutrality and ESG management, and are seeking these changes as opportunities for new growth.
In this study, to present the direction of Gyeonggi-do's innovative growth policy, innovation capabilities were diagnosed in four areas: start-ups, SME digital transformation, carbon neutrality, and innovation infrastructure. Gyeonggi-do ranks high among 17 cities and provinces in innovative growth capacity, and in particular, it has sufficient physical and human innovation resources, but its qualitative level is low compared to its quantitative capacity.
The government and Gyeonggi-do's innovative growth policy status was reviewed, and the level of Gyeonggi-do's innovative growth capability was diagnosed to suggest policy directions. First, it is a start-up fostering policy. In order to respond to changes in the internal and external environment and create an innovative ecosystem for startups in Gyeonggi-do, support for carbon-neutral startup fostering programs, creation of startup and scale-up funds, expansion of private investment-linked technology startup support projects, establishment of a network of startup bases, and establishment of a Gyeonggi-do startup DB are needed. Second, it is the digital transformation policy for SMEs. In order to respond to the reorganization of the global supply chain and the acceleration of digital transformation, it is necessary to advance the smart factory promotion business, establish a digital twin manufacturing innovation test bed, establish a digital twin-based carbon emission monitoring platform, and establish a digital value chain collaboration support system. Third, it is a carbon-neutral industrial conversion policy. In order to spread the awareness of SMEs' carbon neutrality and convert them to a carbon-neutral management system, it is necessary to establish a carbon-neutral education/consulting program for SMEs and a support system for reducing GHG emissions from SMEs. Fourth, it is an innovation cluster fostering policy. In order to take advantage of Gyeonggi-do's sufficient innovation infrastructure to become a growth base, it is necessary to specialize and advance innovation bases by region, secure space to attract new growth industries in the region, and expand support for the vitalization of technovalleys in northern Gyeonggi-do.